The present invention relates generally to defensive systems and, in particular, to defensive shields used by ships to defend against attacks.
Military vessels are usually equipped with defensive armor plating to protect against attack. The armor plating frequently comprises a thick, heavy plate that may be affixed to, or is integral with, a ship's hull. The added mass of the armor plating, however, may reduce the ship's speed and maneuverability. Additionally, fixed or integrated armor plating does not allow for a spatial separation between the armor plating and the ship's hull, thereby prohibiting the selective re-positioning of the armor independently from the position of the ship.
Thus, while the armor may protect the ship, protection is limited to only those places wherein the armor affixes to the hull. This does not protect the ship in all places and leaves the ship venerable to certain types of attack, such as aerial and underwater attacks. Therefore, there remains a need for a defensive shield system that permits selective re-positioning of a shield into various defensive postures that protect against attacks from a plurality of different angles.